Staff
The Bruce Mills Conservation Area in Stouffville was the site of the 2016 Minor Track Association Provincial Cross Country Championships for kids grade nine and under.
The Meaford Coyotes Track Club attended with their strongest team ever – 25 members – and were ready to race, however none of their grade nine members attended as they competed two days prior at the High School CWOSSA XC Championships in Waterloo.
It was a perfect day for racing with warm 18’C temps, overcast and a light wind. The course was mostly flat with a couple small hills and was in good shape.
Olivia Latham of Owen Sound started things off on a positive note as she won a bronze medal against 31 athletes in the Mite Girls [2008-2009] 1100m event. She had a great start and maintained her momentum right to the finish line.
The Mite Boys team [2008-2009] consisting of Edmund McPherson, Emmett Leary and William Olivier, all of Meaford, continued the energy as they won the second-place team award. They placed 8th, 9th and 16th respectively of 24 runners over the 1100m distance.
The highlight of the day was the Atom Girls [2004-2005] 2000m event. Eight girls made up this team with the top three girls counting towards the team award. Madison Calder [Collingwood] placed 6th, Hailey Abbott [Collingwood] placed 7th and Kara Tichbourne [Meaford] placed 11th of 107 girls – the largest field of the day – to capture the first-place team award against 15 teams.
“As a whole, our team ran very strong at this race and made the entire Coyote Track Club very proud!” said team coach Kevin Hooper.
The season is almost done with Spencer Book competing in the grade nine boys 5km race at OFSAA in Port Hope on Saturday, November 5th and a small team competing at the Athletics Ontario Provincial XC Championships in St. Catharines on Sunday, November 13th. For more information about the team, check out our website at www.meafordcoyotes.com.
Photo: The Meaford Coyotes Atom Girls Team won gold at the MTA Provincial XC Championships on Saturday, October 29th in Stouffville. From Left to right are: Kara Tichbourne [Meaford], Madison Calder [Collingwood], McKenna Karn [Coldwater], Hailey Abbott [Collingwood], Payton Dodd [Collingwood]. Missing were Grace Boyce [Flesherton], Sydney Martin [Markdale] and Zoey Killeen [Meaford]
